


The Importance of Communication

by I_Otaku



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Break Up, Break Up Talk, Brief depiction of violence, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, M/M, Minor Characters Mentioned - Freeform, No beta we die like mne, Rated for swearing, They/Them Pronouns for Fujisaki Chihiro, brief depiction of bullying, rated for swearing and minor violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29516328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Otaku/pseuds/I_Otaku
Summary: What are you supposed to do when you're no good for your partner? When you're just a burden- when you drag them down with your unhealed trauma and different personality?Kiyotaka and Mondo love each other so much, but they don't know how to love just yet.
Relationships: Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	The Importance of Communication

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaicravessugarr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaicravessugarr/gifts).



Mondo was chronically late. He didn’t  _ want _ to be- but his brain had a hard time putting together the dots of  _ ‘have to be there at 2,’ _ and  _ ‘it takes fifteen minutes to get there.’  _ Or at least that was the easier way to explain it. The version that didn’t have him spilling his emotionally constipated guts on the sidewalk. Rolling up to his third date with a few nice flowers wrapped in a newspaper, he found his boyfriend sat at one of the public park benches with a foot tapping a staccato on the pavement. He leafed through the pocket encyclopedia and pushed up his glasses- both of which Mondo recognized as anxious ticcs.

“Hey babe,” Mondo dropped next to him, one arm wrapping around his middle and pressing a kiss to Taka’s cheek. He jolted, rubbing his face. 

“You’re late.” He said sternly, brows furrowed. 

“I know, I know.” He sighed, withdrawing the red roses and waving them gently. “I got you  _ these _ though,” And he was expecting the roguish charm to carry him. But Taka didn’t flinch. 

“Those are beautiful Mondo, but they only made you  _ more  _ late.”

He rolled his eyes, dropping the flowers on the bench between them. Instead he leaned back on the balls of his hands. “Yeah, yeah I  _ know _ .”

“Then why didn’t you give me a call? Or send me a text message?” Kiyotaka closed his book over one finger, and pulled off his glasses.

“C’mon babe,”

“Mondo,”

“I’m sorry, alright? Can we just go on a date? It’s saturday, you don’t have your meeting until the evening- I wanna spend time with you.” He felt his own cheeks warm, and stared down at the pavement. And they sat, listening to the fountain behind them, the screaming of children in the field playing, the roll of strollers and clinking of dog tags around them. Mondo wanted to say something, wanted to offer some kind of explanation or apology, but the words were knotting together in his throat. How could he say it? How could he say ‘ _ I’m sorry I’m not as good at time management, I’m sorry I’m not as good as you, or as good as you deserve, I’m sorry I get afraid you’ll wisen up one of these days and leave so I show up late so I won’t have to face that in real time?’ _

It took a while before they could resume any normal flavor of date, neither touched or spoke more than a few words. It hurt. 

Kiyotaka knew the rules, and made no attempt to break them. They were there to keep everyone safe- and if they knew the rules then there would be no arguments, no dangers, no miscommunication. He thought in legal jargon and more often than not- he thought in black and white. 

An underclassmen was slammed back against one of the bike racks, she collapsed and fell to her butt- two upperclassmen crowding over her. Kiyotaka watched from the second story window frozen in fear and awe. He watched a lifted foot slam down once, twice, three times not knowing what to do. Only when one raised a fist- his brain turned back on and he ran. 

With Ms. Mayido at his side Kiyotaka walked briskly down the stairwell- letting his teacher open the fire escape door with her key. As they left towards the parking lot- The underclassman was running past them, one hand on her cheek and tears in her eyes. She was off the campus before either could do anything. Instead, a yell distracted them. 

_ “And you keep yer fuckin’ hands off’a her!”  _ Mondo Owada slammed the upperclassman to the asphalt and raised his fist just as Ms. Mayido blew her whistle.

“Owada! You back down right now young man!”

Mondo stood over the two upperclassmen, blood dripping from his nose. Kiyotaka was  _ appalled _ , barely feeling the shame in his stomach. 

“Fine.” He scrubbed at his nose, and raised his hands. One of the girls laughed, kicking his knee from her spot on the ground. Kiyotaka could hear the crunch as he stumbled back- and he froze as Ms. Mayido had to run forward. 

“Yuu! I will be speaking to your mother-!” 

Mondo shuffled back, pushed away from his bullies and clutching his leg. When he glanced up, Kiyotaka jittered before approaching. 

“What are you  _ doing _ ?” He snarled, glancing between him and their teacher taking care of the two girls. 

“Jia was gettin’ beat bloody,” Mondo said, “The hell was I s’pposed to do?”

“Get a teacher- like I did!”

“Yeah, well you can see how useful that was- I’m not gonna stand aroun’ with my thumb up my ass when I can actually stop it from gettin’ worse.” He snorted, and spat on the pavement.

It ruffled Kiyotaka’s feathers- he wanted to reprimand him right then and there- but the shaking in his hands stopped him. Seeing Jia (Mondo knew her name, how did he? He knew her?) injured and frightened- Mondo had a point. He- he used direct action to stop it from escalating against an innocent party. Kiyotaka hated it, both seeing Mondo injured and him being reprimanded- but he was brave. He rushed in and swung where Kiyotaka had stood frozen at the window, concocting his plan. What could have happened? What if following the rules only hurt Jia more? What if he was  _ wrong _ ? What if Mondo's deliberate dangerous decision that broke the rules was  _ right _ ?

"It…" He took in a breath, fighting to still his hands. "It was the wrong thing to do." He spat. 

Was it to punish Mondo, or was it to whip the zero tolerance back into himself? He knew the answer.

Mondo hated collateral damage. If somebody had a problem with him- they had better fuckin’ say it to his face and start swinging on him and him  _ alone _ . Walking into the corner store with Kiyotaka, it was the last thing on his mind. Kiyotaka was starting to feel under the weather and in his nature  _ refused  _ to do anything about it- so they were going to pick up his prescriptions while Mondo could sneak off and buy some supplements and cold medicine. He finished first, returning to stand with his boyfriend at the pharmacy counter. 

Taka sniffled behind his face mask, and Mondo couldn’t help but watch the way his face crinkled up to keep the mask in place. 

Taka glanced over at him and to anyone else the furrow of his brows would be a sign of irritation, but Mondo knew there was a smile hidden away. “Can I help you?”

“Nah, nah,” He shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned, “Just know I can’t leave you alone.”

“For your sake or mine?” Kiyotaka laughed. Before Mondo could reply the pharmacist called for Ishimaru, and just like that they were leaving. 

And just like that- Mondo collapsed to his knees with his vision completely black despite his eyes being open. Everything swam as he blinked color and shape back into place, the back of his head was erupting in pain like his very brain was exposed to the air. Taka was yelling- Mondo tried to run forward and only succeeded in collapsing onto the concrete. Everything was too bright- everything was too  _ loud-  _ all he could make out was the streetside and blurs of people running, and a big rectangle partially obstructing his view. Taka was swinging, the white coat and red scarf were easy enough to identify and he was fighting two assholes from the gang based in southern Tokyo. Mondo recognized the yellow armband. The rectangle came into shape next, a lead pipe with unmistakable bright pink on the end. Then Taka screamed. 

It was a sound Mondo never wanted to hear. It was loud, and scared and in so much pain he had no consideration for anything else at all. He fell to his knees next. Mondo crawled forward and threw himself to his feet stumbling, again collapsing and scraping the shit out of his palms. 

“Taka,” He mumbled, hands not knowing where to go or what to do.

“I’m fine,” Kiyotaka spat back, glancing over. Mondo could just barely make out the details- most worryingly a stream of pink dripping from his nose down into the mask that was shoved under his chin. He was holding his wrist and shaking. “Mondo are you alright?”

Sirens were ringing in the distance, growing closer. 

“I’m fine-” Mondo lied, trying to grab for Taka’s coat and missing. 

“The authorities will be here soon. Just stay still.”

There was nothing Mondo could do, being escorted to a police car and subsequently an emergency clinic. When he was released, he found Kiyotaka in the waiting room, a short term cast on his dominant hand and small ball of gauze in one nostril. He didn’t want to ask. 

They were sent home, Mondo written up for bruising to his brain and vision issues for the next week. Kiyotaka was more beaten, and he would be returning to get a real cast later in the week. 

Mondo didn’t come with him. Every time he looked at Taka- he could only remember that it wasn’t Taka’s fault. It was for him, it was about him. Kiyotaka was caught in the crossfire. And now he couldn’t so much as write his own name. It was Mondo’s fault his boyfriend had been hurt like that, had to see him like that, had become a target. Mondo felt sick to his stomach every time he saw the white cast on Taka’s arm. He could tell Kiyotaka wouldn’t stand for his pity party either- so he zipped his lips and kept them shut.

The tension was building- both of them felt it. Neither spoke of it.

Kiyotaka was determined. Beyond the normal degree- Kiyotaka believed in structure and bold simplicity and would do whatever was necessary to keep his classmates on the right path. Despite disinterest, or mockery, or disrespect, or disobedience. How he felt, how it affected him- that didn’t matter. Maybe this time would be the one that got through to them- maybe this time- maybe this time-

Kiyotaka treated each of his classmates with the utmost respect and treated them like adults. Most students did not respond well to this. Where Kiyotaka would remind someone their skirt was too short and talk about dress codes in professional environments to hopefully educate them on the importance of respect and autonomy- it was most common to get a dramatic roll of the eyes and walk away as a response. Where he would remind someone their late work was unacceptable to teach them the importance of time management- he would get a sneer and the paper shoved to the floor. Kiyotaka wanted what was best for his classmates and never let himself fall. 

Not when he opened up his locker for the third time that week to find a note shoved through the grate, listing in explicit detail how someone wanted to rip out his hair, gouge his eyes, and disembowel him alive. He folded the paper carefully and set it down on the floor of his locker, looking at it. 

He counted his breaths in and out, closing his eyes to keep himself from crying. 

"Can I touch you?" A familiar voice called. 

"Yes." 

A familiar hand settled on his back just barely warm enough to be felt through the uniforms fabric.

"What's up babe?" Mondo stood close to him, voice soft with concern. 

Kiyotaka wanted to say something- really he did. But he already knew what Mondo would say. Mondo would take the note and not stop until the author was found. He would tell him to back down, slow his roll, stop his drive. And he didn't want to. If he wasn't working- he wasn't worthy. Taka knew Mondo cared for him and right now that would get in the way.

"It's nothing." He said quietly. Taka recognized the heavy breath in through Mondo's nose. He was frustrated. That was too bad.

He had to keep going. He couldn't afford to let down his classmates, to back down from expecting and encouraging them to do their best. No matter the cost.

What are you supposed to do when you're no good for your partner? When you're just a burden- when you drag them down with your unhealed trauma and different personality? 

Kiyotaka was the one who called it off. Meeting up for lunch, when Mondo showed up to the classroom late- he stood with his closed box. 

"Mondo, I don't think we should be boyfriends. I'm… I'm breaking up with you." (What he meant was,  _ 'I'm not good enough for you. I won’t hold you back any longer by making you worry over me. You're strong, and outspoken, and you have no issues existing. You let yourself take up space, and you truly care for me, and that scares me. I'll never be like you and I'll only hold you back. I'll never be what you deserve.' _ He did not say this.)

Mondo dropped his lunchbox, and scrambled to pick it up. "Yeah," he said quietly, "...okay." (What he meant was,  _ ‘I’m not good enough for you. I’m a bad influence and a danger to you. I wondered how long it would take for you to realize. You’re diligent, and clean, you have a promising future, you’re responsible, and I’ll only hold you back. I’ll never be what you deserve.’ _ He did not say this.)

"I'm glad we can come to a civil agreement," Kiyotaka's hands were shaking. "I'm glad we can agree-" 

_ That I'm not good enough for you. _

"I'll see you around school." Kiyotaka passed by Mondo leaving the room, who stood frozen in time with his stomach lost somewhere in the floor.

“...right.”

And that lunch period, two near identical situations played out on different ends of the Hope’s Peak sophomore floor. 

On one end, Mondo stood with his forehead pressed against a window, hair crushed and lifeless around his head. Aoi, Hiro, and Leon sat a few desks away, watching with increasing concern. 

“Mondo?” Leon called, flicking a cashew at him. It bounced off Mondo’s collar- who didn’t flinch. “Shit he’s in deep,”

“What d’you think happened?” Aoi mumbled around her pastry. 

“I  _ think _ ,” Hiro pressed his palms together-

“Kiyotaka broke up with him.” / “Kiyotaka broke up with me.”

“Oh  _ dude _ ,” Leon and Aoi called. 

“I deserve it. I can’t ever be good enough for him- He’s- H-” Mondo shook his head to try and get rid of the shaking in his voice. “Whatever. Was too good to be true anyway.”

“C’mon now,” Hiro sat his slurpee down as he stood and put a hand on Mondo’s shoulder. “Did he say that?”

“What?”

“Did he say you weren’t good enough?” Hiro shook him gently, and he shut his eyes.

“No but-”

“Then don’t put words in his mouth.”

“Have you not seen how he looks at you?” Leon tossed a cashew into the air and caught it in his mouth before looking over. Everyone in the room had turned to look at him. “What? It’s true. Dude’s lost on you. I can see the pupils make those little heart shapes,” He circled his finger at his own eyes.

“He made you happy, and you made him happy. Anyone can vouch for that,” Aoi said next, “Why do you think you broke up?”

“I’m a useless _ toxic bastard who _ -”

Hiro put a finger on Mondo’s nose- “Boop. Try again and use big boy words.”

“I just kept hurting him.”

“Now did Taka say that?”

“...No. But he-”

“So you  _ think _ that’s why you broke up.” Hiro nodded, a hand to his chin. “Aoi, Leon? Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

Leon rolled his eyes but nodded while Aoi nodded enthusiastically. “You’re not talking to him.” They both called.

The rising heat and pressure in Mondo’s chest let off- he looked around more confused than upset now. That was at least an improvement. “We talked every day,”

“Did you tell him that you don’t feel good enough?”

“Did you tell him that you were sorry for the jumping?”

“Did you tell him that you didn’t want to break up?”

Mondo blinked. “No…”

“Then how is he supposed to know?”

On the other end, Kiyotaka sat on the floor with his face in his hands absolutely sobbing. Sakura sat beside him with one hand on his back, and Chihiro on his other side with their head on his shaking shoulder. Makoto sat dumbfounded at a desk a few feet away.

“I knew it! He hated me!” 

“Now that’s not true,” Sakura rubbed his back. “Just breathe.”

“I know he didn’t hate you,” Chihiro said next, “You’re just hurting right now.”

“I wasn't good enough! I-I was such an  _ idiot- _ !"

"You were more than enough!" Chihiro interrupted, shaking his arm. "Taka did Mondo say that?" 

"He didn't need to-" 

"Yes he does- Mondo cares so much for you." Sakura chimed in next. "He loves you." 

"I'm not worth it-" Taka hiccuped, hiding his face behind his knees. "I don't deserve it."

"Why do you think that?" Makoto called, popping an octopus sausage in his mouth.

"I'm- I'm nothing like him. He deserves so much better and I'm holding him back."

Makoto continued, "Did he say that?" 

Taka keened, clenching his muscles.

Sakura gently started pulling Taka out of the ball he forced himself into. "Did Mondo say you were unworthy?" 

"No but-"

"Where did you hear you were unworthy?" Chihiro brushed back Taka's hair, their brows knit.

"Nobody told me I just  _ know _ ."

Makoto laughed softly. "Sorry- you and I- we both know how reliable our recountings can be. I think you're reading too far into things again." 

"What do you mean?" Kiyotaka looked up now, tears streaking down his bright pink face.

"Did you tell Mondo you were feeling like this?" Sakura asked softly.

"Did you tell him about your fear of holding him back?"

"Did you tell him you're scared of losing him like this?" 

Kiyotaka took in a shaking breath and coughed wetly- before covering his mouth with his hand. 

"Go talk to him." Chihiro threw themselves around his shoulders in a hug, and rustled his hair again. "I guarantee he feels the same." 

The lunch bell rang- and through the final classes of the day Mondo and Kiyotaka did their best to plan. It turned out to be a pointless distraction from classes- collecting their bags and meeting at the school entrance rendered all of their planning pointless. 

They stood staring at one another, cheeks red and eyes downcast.

(Little to their knowledge six friends clustered around either corner of the entrance, phones peeking around the corner and hushed whispers bickered back and forth.)

"Hello." Kiyotaka said.

"Hey." Mondo said. 

"Listen I-" / "I would like to-"

"Oh my apologies-" / "Shit go ahead-"

"I-" / "I-" 

"I'm sorry!" Mondo blurted out, jumping up. "Fuck-" He rubbed the back of his neck quickly. "I-I….. I'm sorry. I've been bottlin' all my shit up, and it's not fair. I can't expect you to know everything, not 'less I take the time to tell you." He couldn't look up. "But I- Taka I really  _ really _ care about you. I fucked up, I thought this was too important to ruin and sabotaged myself. I… I love you. And I'm sorry for what I did, it wasn't fair." 

Neither spoke, not until Mondo laughed nervously. "I just… I just wanted to get that off my chest, I understand if-" When he could look up, Kiyotaka was crying- face pinched and pink.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I feel the same- I had convinced myself you deserved better, that I was inadequate. I refused to reflect on how you make me feel and change to any degree, because- because you treat me with such respect and empathy- the likes of which I've never known before. It's overwhelming." Taka laughed wetly, and wiped his face. "I attempted to keep you at arms distance to protect myself and that was unfair to you. I love you Mondo- I love you so much I don't know what to do with all of the- the  _ feelings- _ " He gestured vaguely to his chest, "And I'm so sorry for not talking to you as soon as this became an issue." 

"Me too," 

"It… It's not going to be easy- f-for me-" 

"Me either, I'm workin' with my therapist to help me out but I just, I just-..." 

"Mondo," Kiyotaka reached forward, taking his hand gently. Mondo would give it any day of the week, he held back softly. "Let's work on it together then." 

"I'm not… I'm not gonna be the best," 

"Neither am I. But you make me a better person." 

"You do too."

"Then let's grow together." Kiyotaka looked up at him- face still flushed and wet. 

Mondo stepped forward putting them nearly chest to chest. "I'd really like that." He knew the next few meetings were going to be awkward, that there was going to be a long bumpy road going forward of new emotional sensitivity and openness, but he was going to be there. He was going to be there for every step of the way- because Kiyotaka deserved it- and he knew he did too. 

Heels clicked softly, before around the corner emerged Celeste who flourished one of her pigtails. She passed by the two boys and opened her locker not three away from Kiyotaka. "Wonderful, congratulations. I do wish to leave before the sun sets," She collected her bag, "I'm happy for you. Just next time don't hold up the entry for your soap opera and viewers, yes?" To anyone else her words were sharp and uncaring, but Kiyotaka could only laugh. 

"Thank you Celeste," he wiped his face. "Apologies."

Mondo on the other hand turned a vibrant red. "Wait- viewers?"

"Celeste!" Aoi and Chihiro called from either offshooting hallway.

Leon and Hiro next- "Run!" 

Mondo rolled up one sleeve as he took off. "Oh you  _ better _ !"

**Author's Note:**

> +1 emotional maturity point added to inventory
> 
> This fic meant a lot to me in showing how relationships should work, I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
